The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1887-05-25
MODERN TORPEDO BOATS,
THE DEVELOPMENT OF POWERFUL
VESSELS OF WAR.

Speedy Boats Armed with Machine
Guns and Torpedoes-Ericsso
"Destroyer"--A Submarine Gun
The most noted torpedo-boat builders
of the world are Messrs. Yarrow and
Messrs. Thornycroft, of London. Each
of these great firms employs from 1000
to l, 200 workmen, and can turn out at
least one completed boat per week. The
chief popularity of torpedo boats is their
almost phenomenal speed. They are
built of steel, the different classes ranging
in length from fifty-five feet, intended for
harbor defence, TO vessels of 16G feet,
capable of making an extended cruise at
sea. The Fake, boat recently built by
the Messrs. Yarrow for the Austro-Hun-
gaTian Government is 13j feet long, four
teen feet wide, draught of water five feet
six inches, and attained on the trial trip
a speed of twenty-five and one-half miles
per hour The armament consists of two
Nordenfeldt machine-guns, carried on
deck, and two bow-tubes for diScharging
Whitehead torpedoes.
The development of torpedo-boats is
now so rapidly progressing that any de-
scription becomes almost out of date dur
ing the writing. A vessel just completed
by the Messrs. Yarrow for the japanese
Government is the largest that has been
yet built. 1t is 166 feet long, nineteen
feet wide, is provided with twin screws,
to give greater facility in turning, and
maintains speed of twenty-four miles
per hour. The engines are protected by
a steel deck one inch thick; and, in addi-
tion to two bow-tubes for discharging
torpedoes directly ahead, two turn tables
are mounted on deck, from which torpe-
does can be launched in any desired di-
rection.
Very similar in their construction, and
no less famous for speed and maneuvring
qualities, are the boats built by the
Messrs. Thornycroft.
In this country, the Messrs. Herreshof,
of Bristol, r. l., have built a number Of
very fast boats, designed to be used with
torpedoes. One of these is the noted
steam-yacht Stiletto, which may well be
taken as representative of the American
type. The Stiletto is built of wood, with
iron braces; length, ninety-four feet;
width, eleven feet; draught of water,
four feet six inches, and has attained a
speed of twenty-five miles per hour.
A very formidable torpedo-vessel has
been built in recent years by that great
est of living engineers, Captain John
Ericsson. 1t has been appropriately
named the Destroyer. Once, at a critical
moment in the history of our country, as
every American well knows, Captain
Ericsson came to the rescue with Mon
itor. Since then his genius, energy,
and mechanical skill have been devoted
to the problem of saving our great coast
cities from destruction in the event of
war with a foreign naval power.
The result of these years of study and
experimenting is the Destroyer, armed
with a torpedo-gun which discharges
under the water projectile carrying a
charge sufficient to sink the largest IRON
clad afoat. The submarine gun is mounted
in the bow of the vessel, near the keel, and
is thus nearly ten feet below the surface of
the water. 1t consists of a cylinder of
gun-metal, or steel, thirty feet long, ad-
ditionally strengthened at the breech by
broad steel rings. 1t is loaded at the
breech, the muzzle being encased by the
vessels stem, and closed by valve to
exclude the water. This valve is opened
by suitable levers just before the gun is
to be discharged, and closes automatic
ally as the proiectile leaves the muzzle.
The projectile is steel torpedo, twenty
five feet long, sixteen inches in diameter,
and carrying a charge of 300 pounds OF
gun-cotton. 1t has a range of 300 feet
during the first three seconds of its fight.
The form of the torpedo is cylindrical,
-, :. !
the percussion-lock and firing pin, and
the explosion takes place upon impact. -
Scribner'S Magazine.